That Way Madness Lies
by Shampoobolly
Summary: Gene tries to fix his relationship with Alex. Galex Smut. Post S3 Ep2.


**That Way Madness Lies**

**By Shampoobolly**

**Rated M for an unashamedly Galex smut-fest. It follows on from season 3 episode 2, so there are some spoilers. **

**This is my first fic although I have been lurking for quite a while. This has been thrown together quite quickly over the weekend so all mistakes are mine. There is so much quality fic posted on here that I just hope this can live up to the same standard. All reviews are gratefully received.**

**Ashes to Ashes and the characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them briefly from Kudos and the BBC.**

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"Are you going to call Elaine for a date?" Alex slurred, her eyes firmly rooted to a spot on the bar.

It was a couple of days after Shaz's celebratory party and Alex and Gene were at the bar in Luigis. Mercifully Keats was nowhere to be seen, a welcome respite for the team.

The two of them were well into their third, or was it their forth bottle of Luigi's house rubbish. They'd stopped keeping count, it was easier that way to slowly sink into the haze provided by the alcohol.

Gene eyed her warily. "What's it to you Bolly?"

She shrugged nonchalantly.

He pursed his lips considering his reply. "She's not what I need right now." He conceded finally.

She eyed him curiously, her head resting on her hand. "What do you need Gene?"

"I need everything to go back to how it was before." He glanced over to their table in the corner of the room, empty ever since she'd got out of hospital.

"Before what?"

"Before I..." he sucked in a breath, _**before I shot you**_ were the words on his lips.

He started again. "Before, when we were a team Bolly, when we worked together bringing down Mac, when we were at our best."

"Unbreakable." She said wistfully, echoing his words from a time that seemed long gone.

"Yeah..." he paused the alcohol loosening his tongue. "I never thought we'd throw it all away Bolls. Now it's..." he searched for the right word "...now it's broken and I'm not sure how fix it."

She turned sharply at his honesty taking in his posture, his hands planted firmly on the bar, his head bowed, his entire body screaming defeat.

"It's not broken Gene, just slightly off centre maybe." She swirled the wine slowly around her glass. "I really hope it can be fixed, because when this works," she gestured between them, "it really does work. We work."

"Yeah." The corner of his mouth curled up slightly in acknowledgement of her words, the trademark Gene Hunt smile.

Alex sighed, it was getting late. Looking round the bar she noticed they were the last people there. Luigi was cleaning away a table on the far side of the room. She drained her glass and placed it gently on the bar.

"Right, well Mr Hunt, I'm off to bed." She stood up somewhat unsteadily. She wasn't sure why she did it but she leant into him placing a kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight Gene."

His eyes latched on to hers, his stare burning into her causing her to flush involuntarily.

"Night Bolly. Sweet dreams."

She grinned her mind remembering the Gene in the Uptown Town Girl dream sequence. "Oh I hope so."

She sashayed out of the bar acutely aware of the burning gaze of her DCI following her every move. When she was out of sight Gene let out a breath, his fingers lightly tracing the place on his cheek where she'd kissed him.

"Luigi, scotch!"

The little Italian bustled over to him. "Mr Hunt we are closed, my wife, she is waiting for me, always waiting for me to come to bed."

"Just one Luigi then I'll be going."

The Italian sighed deeply but poured the drink nonetheless.

Gene stared into the amber liquid in the hopes it would offer him some answers. _**What do you need Gene...**_ Alex's words echoed in his mind. What did he need?

He needed Keats to bugger off and he needed Bolly to stop dragging up Sam Tyler. He needed thing to go back to normal, he needed the one thing he couldn't bear to acknowledge, he needed his D.I. back.

"Bugger." He muttered to himself before downing the scotch in one banging the glass down on the counter in frustration.

Suddenly galvanised he threw some money on the bar and stalked over to the stairs that led to Alex's flat. He was going to fix this thing right now.

He jogged up the stairs to her door and raised his hand knocking loudly. He leant heavily on the door frame as he waited.

Alex had been about to get into bed when she heard the knocking coming from her door. She sighed, wondering whether to answer it. It could only be one person.

The knocking continued getting louder. "Bolly!" He shouted, his voice confirming the identity of her visitor. She threw on her robe, she would have to face him at some point. It was probably better to do it here in the privacy of her own flat rather than in the middle of CID with an audience.

"Bolls, open up!" He shouted again.

She threw open the door. "Are you trying to wake the whole neighbourhood?"

He took in her appearance, her lack of makeup and her robe tied tightly around her and felt his resolve start to slip away. Why was this so hard?

He walked past her into the flat.

"Come in, make yourself at home." She said dryly as he helped himself to a glass of scotch from the bottle on the side in the kitchen. She closed the door and turned to face him waiting.

He took a gulp of the scotch, suddenly wishing he hadn't come up here.

"I, er..." He started then shook his head taking another gulp of scotch fortifying himself. "You asked me Bolly, you asked me before what I needed."

She nodded encouraging him to continue.

He let out a long breath placing the glass on the counter. He's always heard that honesty was the best policy.

"Firstly I need Keats to bugger off back to whichever hole he crawled out of and secondly Bolly, I need you to drop this Sam Tyler thing."

"Why Gene, why won't you tell me what happened to Sam?"

"I can't Bolly." He sighed. "I just can't."

"Why not? Don't you trust me Gene?"

He winced at her words, the conversation they had in his office the day before he shot her playing in his mind.

She continued. "I thought we were trying to fix this Gene, I thought we were friends."

"Friends!" He barked. "Friends. I don't want to be friends."

She tried unsuccessfully to cover the look of intense hurt that passed across her face at his words. She crossed her arms firmly not wanting him to see how vulnerable she felt in front of him.

"Shit Bolly, that came out wrong." He moved to stand in front of her. "What I want to say is that I need you Alex. I want you back."

"You want me back? As far as I recall you never had me Gene." She snapped.

"No, I guess I didn't." He said sadly, his eyes burning into hers.

He sighed, aware that slowly but surely his world seemed to be falling apart around him.

"I'm no good at this Alex." He said using her real name. "I'm sorry I shot you and I'm sorry I can't talk to you about what happened to Sam. But you deserve to know this even if nothing comes of it. Even if that bastard Keats manages to destroy the whole team." He steeled himself not used to baring his soul. "In case I don't get to tell you again Alex, I want you to know that I need you, I want you. I want us."

She sucked in a breath startled by his words. Gene Hunt was admitting that he wanted her, after all the flirting, the jealousy and the longing.

The silence stretched as she considered her options. He still refused to tell her about Sam. They were essentially in the same position as they had been earlier, only he'd just managed to break the deadlock. She still couldn't be sure he wasn't involved. As much as she wanted this, as much as she wanted him she would still have to investigate Sam Tyler's death, she needed to find out the truth. Could she take what he was offering without making their relationship worse?

The air was thick as he watched her mull over his confession. Her lack of a response was crushing him slowly from the inside. He started towards the door, she obviously didn't want him.

"Wait Gene."

He spun round searching her eyes.

"Show me." She said simply her decision made. How could she choose anything else?

He moved over to her slowly not wanting to make any sudden movements to break the fragile truce. He stopped in front of her, his hand reaching out tentatively to cup her cheek gently before slowly lowering his lips to hers softly.

Alex was overwhelmed at the feeling of completeness that enveloped her. So this is what it feels like to kiss Gene Hunt she thought. Pretty damn good.

The feel of his lips against hers and the pressure of his body fused against her made her blood run hot, the scent of him filling her nostrils, surrounding her and driving her mad with lust. The feelings she had repressed lurching to the forefront of her mind igniting her body with desire.

The number of times she'd wanted to do this but had denied herself, the fear of getting too involved in this world, another reason not to fight to go back. It felt almost forbidden, the taste of anticipation in his infuriatingly chaste kiss.

She let out a low moan as her hands moved to the back of his neck, her fingers interlacing through his hair, pulling him closer deepening the kiss her tongue seeking his desperately, her need spiralling out of control.

Still fused together Gene walked her backwards until she hit the kitchen counter, then he lifted her upwards placing her on the counter, her legs wrapping round him automatically almost trying to meld their bodies together. Her hands moved to the waistband of his trousers deftly undoing his belt trying to remove the barriers between them as quickly as she could. Her hand delved into his boxers gripping him firmly.

"Jesus Alex." He growled his voice rough with need.

His hands moved to the belt of her robe ripping it open at her waist, his hands encountering bare flesh. With a groan he realised she was naked underneath the flimsy red gown. He pulled her forward roughly on the counter until she was perched on the edge, his fingers seeking out her core, thrilled to find her soaking wet. He pushed two fingers inside her, his thumb rapidly stroking her clit. She moaned loudly as he worked her into a frenzy.

"Oh my god Gene!" she cried as she pulsed around his fingers, her head thrown back in ecstasy. He watched enthralled as she came, his name on her lips.

She tried to calm her rapidly beating heart as she came down from her orgasm. Opening her eyes she met his hungry gaze, his eyes flashing with desire. She grinned as she pulled down his boxers finally uttering the three words she'd been dying to say.

"Fuck me Gene."

He needed no further encouragement as he entered her in one fluid motion their eyes locked. Their simultaneous groans filling the air at the feeling of finally being joined together. She lifted her hips to meet his as he thrust into her again and again. His lips crashed into hers demanding and savage. His movements grew wild as he upped the tempo knowing that he's couldn't hold on for much longer. He snaked his hand in between them searching for her clit, willing her to join him. He grunted as he felt her muscles contract around him sending him over the edge. He buried his head in her shoulder as he exploded into her, stars filling his vision.

They were both reluctant to move apart as their shallow breaths started to return to normal. She'd always suspected that if something were to happen with Gene it would be pretty good, but she hadn't expected the unbridled wave of lust that had surged through her during their first kiss, coupled with an additional feeling she really didn't want to analyse too closely as she suspected in the brief moments she let herself dwell on it that it might bare a strong resemblance to love.

Gene pulled back slightly to see her face, conscious of the fragility of this new aspect of their relationship. He needn't have worried, her eyes were smouldering as she pulled him back towards her for a kiss, their lust tempered for the time being but the desire still raging through them both.

They finally pulled apart, Gene talking a small step back to allow her to slide down from the counter. He took in her appearance, her hair dishevelled, her lips swollen, half naked in her kitchen. He'd never seen anything as beautiful. In a moment of clarity he realised that he would never forget this moment no matter what happened her image at this moment was burned deeply onto his retina.

"So..."

He cursed to himself, always so articulate Gene.

"So..." she echoed suddenly feeling self conscious. She didn't know what she was expecting, declarations of undying love? She cursed her foolishness, this was Gene hunt for godsake, her boss.

He stepped back tugging up his trousers awkwardly, the intimacy broken.

"I should..." he indicated towards the door stopping only when he saw what he thought might be a look of panic cross her face. He cursed to himself again, Jesus what must she think, he couldn't just bugger off. God how could something so amazing become so awkward so quickly.

"Or I could..." cringing he made a gesture towards the general direction of her bedroom wishing she would say something to put him out of his misery.

The indecision was overwhelming. She wanted more than anything for him to stay, to curl up in his strong arms, to just not have to think about anything for one night. But to let him in... surely that way madness lay.

But the alternative was to let him walk away, and she suspected that if she did that now it would be the final nail in the coffin of their relationship, and that wasn't an option she willing to take.

"Stay. Stay tonight at least." She said finally.

He let out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. It wasn't a full blown declaration of love, but at least she hadn't thrown him out on his arse.

They stumbled towards the bedroom suddenly both exhausted. He divested himself quickly of his clothes joining her under the duvet, his arm reaching out to bring her closer to him.

"Gene?" She said softly.

"Hmm?" He murmured on the brink of falling into a deep sleep.

"What happens now?" He stiffened slightly. What did happen now? He had no idea.

"I guess we carry on as before Bolly."

"You know I'm not going to stop looking into Sam Tyler's death don't you?"

He sighed quietly in the dark. It had briefly crossed his mind that after what had happened between them tonight she might change her mind, but he knew deep down that she would never be that type of person. He realised he didn't want her to be.

"I'd be disappointed if you did Bolly." He finally replied.

Seemingly reassured by his words she snuggled deeper into his chest falling asleep almost instantly his arms wrapped around her firmly.

His eyes traced the shadows in her bedroom. He was suddenly more wide awake than ever, a sense of foreboding settling over him as he wondered whether they'd ever be this close again.

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THE END


End file.
